Not Going To Blogher!

Although my two sister's and I had planned otherwise, and even though it is in our hometown, we won't be going to Blogher this weekend. Instead we will be whooping it up for my Dad's 60th birthday.

But, for all my blogging mommy friends there are a few things I'd recommend:


1) If you like architecture, try and get on the Loop Tour Train which is a free 40 min. tour on the "El" but it's only on Saturday and only at 10 and 10:40 a.m. You get tickets on a first come first serve basis in the Chicago Cultural Center (77 E. Randolph or rather Randolph and Michigan Ave) Visitor Information Center so you've got to get there early.


2) If you're not to drunk by the time the sun goes down, walk over to Millennium Park (Michigan and Washington) and check out what I call the Crazy Face Fountain (because I don't know the real name). It'll make you wish you had your kids with you. Here's a preview:

3) The Hancock building has a better view than the Sears Tower. But you don't have to go to the Hancock Observatory, rather head to the Signature Room Lounge (which is actually higher than the Observatory and woo hoo! you can get drinks!

All Done!

Well Christmas is over, and despite the mess in our house, it was a great one. Between Boy's overexcitement keeping him up until well past midnight on the 23rd, Santa, and Girl getting sick, throwing up, and being up shivering (even though she was under 4 thick blankets) with a fever all Christmas night, I didn't get a lick of sleep, but it was worth it. Even if Santa forgot a part of both Boy and Girl's present and left them at our house instead. I even got to see it, since Boy ran in my room at 7 a.m., poke me in the back and screamed "MOM WAKE UP IT'S 7! PRESENT TIME!!!" He had been awake since 6, but like a good little boy, followed my rules and played his video game until his wristwatch alarm went off at 7. The lack of sleep made me turn on the video mode on my camera rather than the picture mode and I caught this short gem of Boy seeing his Santa gifts for the first time:

This to me is what gift giving is about, the sheer joy that people can experience. Most of the things Boy asked for were bought for him by other people. He only asked for one thing from Santa and it was a little thing. So it was all guess work. But Boy says when this little clip was taken, he was thinking, "These are the best presents ever!" Awesome!

Santa also gave Girl the wrong size purple helmet. But to be fair it's really hard to fit a helmet to a head without the head there. Here she is with her too small helmet.

But she had lots of fun with the same dollhouse my sisters, cousins, and I used to play with at Grandma's house every year at Christmas.

On Assignment...

This week I've been in Chicago at "Editor's Summer Camp" learning to be better at my job. And although I was my usual anti-social self, I feel I learned a lot. This is one of the pictures I took for my "Photo Assignment," which was summer in the city. You can see the rest on my Flickr account.

I think I learned the most about design and working with designers. I won't bore you with the details like I did Mr. Hobbitfeet (My word vomit wouldn't stop even after his eyes glazed over and his brain clearly had shut down-which is so bad when your driving).

My stupid work laptop couldn't pick up WiFi because I think it was invented before WiFi existed. So I couldn't blog, though I wanted to so bad.

The people were so weird (though considering I followed my strict rule of speaking only when spoken to, they probably thought I was weird). The most annoying were a group of girls from Disney. I felt like they needed to be put in a bubble. They kept going on and on about how cute and sweet everything was. I was losing my sarcastic and cynical mind.

P.S. I think a bunch of sumo wrestlers in the back of a pick-up would totally get across the weight it could hold, don't you?

One Extra-long Crappy Weekend, hold the fries!

What was gearing-up to be my ultra-cool, best-long-weekend this summer turned into an "Extreme Suckfest of Crappiness."

The Plan:
Wednesday Night-Friday Morning:
While Boy visits his other Grandma, and Mr. Hobbitfeet attends a work thing, Girl and I would have a super-fun (super-free) couple of "Girls' days" which involved: Staying in Mr. H.'s work-paid-for luxury accommodations at the Chicago Swissotel, a visit to Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago's FREE zoo), a visit to The Chicago Children's Museum (during Kraft Free family night, Thursdays 5-8 p.m.), lunch with Lynda at My Thai (not free, but delicious), and playtime in the hotel pool(free again).

Friday Night:
Boy rejoins the family, and we spend the night at Meander's

Saturday:
We go to a birthday party with my mom and sister's presents since they couldn't come, then afterwards return to Meander's for her block party.

Sunday:
Go to Mr. H.'s Aunt's memorial service, then return home having enjoyed a relaxing, fun, and free holiday.

Since I have renamed this the "E.S.C." You know that things went horribly wrong. The hotel didn't have our reservation for Wednesday night, so we had to front it leaving no money for tips so the staff HATED us. Aunt Flo showed up a week early to make me "Extra-patient and happy." We spent more money than we were supposed to, Girl skipped all her naps and was pure joy to be around. I was sure my familiarity with Chicago made it possible for me to get around with just walking and buses, but by the end of our zoo adventures at 5 on Thursday I thought I'd rather tear my own legs off with my bare hands then walk another step. Things got all screwed up and we ended up staying at my Dad's on Friday instead of Meander's and going to the party without her presents. We were so exhausted that we almost didn't go to the memorial service, I haven't slept well since Tuesday night.
Then the topper to the whole weekend: in my rush to get Girl to the potty after dinner at Burger King in Gilman on the way home, I left my purse at the table and it got stolen, with my wallet, and digital camera inside. So I have been spending my morning canceling things and calling my insurance company, which won't pay for my new camera because I have a $500 deductible. Not to mention I loved my little back pack that I was using as a purse. I'd had it since 2001 and it was the BEST. Small but would fit anything like it was the magic car in Harry Potter. So here's a note to whoever stole my bag: YOU SUCK!! None of that stuff was yours and I want it back!!!

Autophobic with a side of Achluophobia

Mr. Hobbitfeet is going to Chicago overnight for work next week and I am terrified. I hate, hate, HATE being alone at night. I freak out. I always have and I don't see me suddenly getting brave enough to face the music next week. I have already switched my work days next week so that I won't have to work the day after my night alone, because I know that I won't sleep.
But the prospect of being the only adult in this house for a whole night is making my stomache hurt. I'll keep you posted.

Busy Weekend

We were in Chicago this weekend for my cousin Erin's wedding. Fun was had by all. See my sister's blog for more. Then on Sunday, Mr. Hobbitfeet, the kids, and I got together with a group of friends that we hadn't seen in awhile to play games. In the end though we mostly talked, and only played one game, Pit. Personally I suck at Pit, I am not aggressive enough or something. As usual, I was too busy, and didn't take too many pictures. But here is one of Lynda and Elaine's son Devin.